Chapter 209: Establishing the Cabinet

Liu Ju nodded slightly, then said to Wei Qing: "Wei King, since you have so forcefully pointed out the harms of the Chancellor, do you have any solution?"

He looked at His Highness Wei Qing with a smiling, narrowed eyes, constantly giving him hints.

Wei Qing fell into deep thought, while Zhang Qian beside him saw the opportunity and suddenly recalled Liu Ju's earlier idea of abolishing the Chancellor system.

He glanced at Liu Ju and Wei Qing; the two were clearly colluding, putting on a show for everyone.

Good thing I saw through it!

Without waiting for Wei Qing to speak, Zhang Qian interjected: "Your Majesty, although the Chancellor system has played an important role in the past and kept the court running, nowadays problems frequently arise, making it hard to adapt to the development of our Great Han. The harms pointed out by Wei King are indeed spot-on."

I have deliberated for a long time; I propose abolishing the Chancellor system, dispersing its functions to other departments, then each department will handle its own duties—this can both avoid power imbalance and improve administrative efficiency, making it a good reform strategy, indeed a long-term plan.

As soon as Zhang Qian finished speaking, Liu Ju looked at the dazed Wei Qing; the two exchanged a glance, clearly Zhang Qian also understood.

Meanwhile, the other officials in the hall instantly erupted in an uproar.

Su Wu and others who usually followed Liu Ju's lead were also greatly surprised, turning their gaze to their mainstay, the Son of Heaven of the Great Han.

"Zhang Sir, the Chancellor system was established since the founding emperor Gaozu, has endured through many generations, and is deeply entrenched. Abolishing it rashly would surely cause panic throughout the court; how would numerous affairs be coordinated? A slight mistake would trigger turmoil and shake the foundations of the state."

"What Zhang Sir said is quite right. The Chancellor coordinates the overall situation, effectively integrating orders from all sides and ensuring implementation. Once abolished, each department would act on its own, greatly increasing communication and coordination costs, likely jeopardizing state affairs."

At this point someone stood up to oppose Zhang Qian's opinion.

Wei Qing, with a profound gaze, stepped forward and said: "Esteemed colleagues, while reform carries risks, clinging to the old ways will only worsen problems. The current obstruction in the southern development serves as a warning. If we do not break the old system, how can our Great Han forge a new path? Distributing the Chancellor's power and supplementing it with a sound supervisory mechanism would both ensure orderly departmental operation and prevent power abuse."

The meticulous Huo Guang also stood up at once and said: "Your Majesty, abolishing the Chancellor system is a major matter; it must not be decided hastily. However, the proposals of General Wei and Mr. Zhang are also worthy of deep consideration. We might first trial power dispersal in some affairs, observe the results, then make a final decision."

Liu Ju swept his gaze over the crowd and said slowly: "What Wei King and the Marquis of Bowang said is not without reason; after the Chen Wenjin incident, I also feel that the Chancellor system should be abolished."

The officials exclaimed again in surprise.

"Your Majesty, absolutely not!"

Several elderly officials knelt down, urging Liu Ju to reconsider.

Su Wu, who had been observing from the side, stood up and said: "Your Majesty, your wisdom is clear; I believe the Chancellor system has long been plagued by entrenched problems, as Wei King and the Marquis of Bowang said—during the southern development, delays in the Chancellor's decision-making caused missed opportunities. Abolishing the Chancellor system and dispersing power would not only let departments answer directly to Your Majesty, raising administrative efficiency, but also prevent corruption arising from excessive concentration of power. This is a crucial step for court reform and national development."

Wei Xiang also realized at this point that the Son of Heaven wanted to abolish the Chancellor system, and quickly echoed: "What Mr. Su said is absolutely correct. Now the territory of our Great Han keeps expanding, affairs grow increasingly complex, and the existing Chancellor system is unable to cope."

"Previously, disaster relief reports from various places were delayed due to layered review by the Chancellor's office; if the Chancellor system were abolished, departments would respond swiftly according to their duties, allowing such livelihood matters to be resolved promptly, and the foundations of the state would become more solid."

After Wei Xiang finished speaking, he also furtively glanced at the dazed Xu Wei.

Xu Wei then came to his senses, nodded slightly, stepped forward, and said firmly: "Your Majesty, the Chancellor's power is excessive, often limiting departmental autonomy. Often officials, fearing the Chancellor's authority, dare not report even good suggestions. After abolishing the Chancellor system, Your Majesty could directly hear officials' voices, widely absorb sound advice, and invigorate the court's vitality."

Jin Fu flicked his sleeves, solemnly said: "Your Majesty, since the founding of our Great Han, institutions have constantly been renewed. From the concurrent commanderies and kingdoms to the implementation of the Extended Grace Order, each reform has made our Great Han stronger. Abolishing the Chancellor system now follows the tide of development; I wish to fully support Your Majesty and drive this measure to smooth implementation."

Faced with this wave of support, the elderly officials who had originally knelt to advise against it stared at each other, momentarily speechless.

Liu Ju's expression softened slightly, a flash of relief in his eyes as he said: "Esteemed officials, being able to prioritize the greater good brings me great comfort."

Next, he waved his hand; a ritual official brought up a scroll, and Liu Ju had them distribute it to everyone in the hall, then continued: "After long deliberation, I have decided to implement the Cabinet system to reform the court and usher in a prosperous era for our Great Han."

His gaze sharp, he scanned the officials before him and continued: "Within the Cabinet, we will select several ministers of talent and experience; they will jointly discuss state affairs, integrate opinions from all sides, and then present them to me. Thus, decisions will no longer rely on a single person but on collective wisdom, both avoiding the harms of a Chancellor's unchecked power and making decisions more thorough."

Seeing the officials still bewildered, Liu Ju raised his hand to signal, his gaze sweeping over the court, his expression growing more solemn as he said: "Wei, this Cabinet system is of great importance; I still have many details to explain to you all."

The hall instantly fell silent, all eyes turning to Liu Ju.

"The selection of Cabinet members must uphold the principles of fairness and openness."

Liu Ju said slowly: "We must not only examine their talent and virtue, but also assess their past administrative achievements and ability to handle practical affairs. Those selected must not only possess outstanding insight, but also harbor loyalty to the state and wholeheartedly serve the people."

"The Cabinet will establish a Premier to assist me in coordinating Cabinet affairs and harmonizing the work among members."

Then Liu Ju frowned slightly, intensified his tone, and said: "Although the Premier holds high rank and authority, power is dispersed among the Cabinet ministers, who check and balance each other to prevent excessive concentration of power. During Cabinet deliberations, each member may speak freely, propose suggestions based on actual circumstances, and the final decision must be reached through collective discussion and approval."

"In terms of operational mechanism, the Cabinet must regularly report its work to me."

Liu Ju rose, hands behind his back, and spoke calmly: "Whether routine affairs or major decisions, they must be reported promptly. In case of urgent matters, the Cabinet may act first, but must afterward report in detail. This ensures timely decisions while keeping me fully informed of court affairs."

"To prevent abuse of power by the Cabinet, a corresponding supervisory mechanism must also be established."

Liu Ju's gaze sharp, he said: "The Censorate shall oversee the Cabinet's work throughout; upon discovering any violation, it shall impeach immediately. Furthermore, officials and commoners may also supervise; if they have objections, they may give feedback through proper channels."

"My implementation of the Cabinet system aims to create an efficient, just, and transparent court."

Liu Ju scanned the crowd, his eyes full of expectation.

"Let talents from all quarters gather together to devise plans for the prosperity of our Great Han."

The officials, combining Liu Ju's detailed explanation with the booklet in hand, also understood what the Cabinet system truly is.

However, they still felt apprehensive about the future of the Great Han court under this system.

In fact, even those like Wei Qing who unconditionally supported Liu Ju also showed signs of worry.

Liu Ju naturally saw these reactions; after all, the system surpasses this era by too much, so it is normal for them to find it hard to accept at first.